Attachment for a bucket

ABSTRACT

An attachment for a bucket is disclosed. The bucket includes a plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels. The bottom panel extends between the two side panels and has an edge. The attachment includes a plate having two major opposing surfaces. The attachment further includes an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket. The attachment further includes an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/578,424 by Celia R. Clause et al., filed Dec. 21, 2011, the contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to an attachment for a bucket on an earthmoving machine, specifically an attachment that may be used to grade material on a worksite.

BACKGROUND

Buckets on earthmoving machines frequently include teeth for cutting or digging into material on a worksite. However, such teeth are less effective at grading such material. Accordingly, an attachment for the bucket may be provided for grading purposes. The attachment may be designed to be detachably attached to the bucket such that the teeth on the bucket do not have to be removed before the attachment is attached to the bucket.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,610 B2 to Hardman et al. discloses an edging device for a bucket. The edging device includes receivers and an edge member configured to be detachably attached to the receivers. The receivers are configured for attachment to tooth adapters on the bucket.

SUMMARY

An attachment for a bucket is disclosed. The bucket includes a plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels. The bottom panel extends between the two side panels and has an edge. The attachment includes a plate having two major opposing surfaces. The attachment further includes an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket. The attachment further includes an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.

An attachment for a bucket is disclosed. The bucket includes a plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels. The bottom panel extends between the two side panels and has an edge. The attachment includes a plate having two major opposing surfaces. The attachment further includes an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket. The attachment further includes a bracket extending from at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.

A bucket assembly is disclosed. The bucket assembly includes a bucket having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels and having an edge. The bucket assembly further includes an attachment. The attachment includes a plate having two major opposing surfaces. The attachment further includes an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket. The attachment further includes an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.

An earthmoving machine is disclosed. The earthmoving machine includes a boom, a stick attached to the boom, and a bucket assembly configured for attachment to the stick. The bucket assembly includes a bucket having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels and having an edge. The bucket assembly further includes an attachment. The attachment includes a plate having two major opposing surfaces. The attachment further includes an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket. The attachment further includes an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of an earthmoving machine according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bucket assembly;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an attachment according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of an attachment according to another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the attachment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bucket assembly according to an embodiment of the invention, specifically the bucket assembly shown in FIG. 2 with the attachment shown in FIG. 3 attached thereto; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a bucket assembly according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An earthmoving machine is shown broadly in FIG. 1 at reference numeral 10. The machine 10 includes a cab 11, a boom 12, a stick 13 attached to the boom 12, and a bucket assembly 14 attached to the stick 13. The bucket assembly 14 includes a bucket 15, a plurality of tooth projections 20 attached to the bucket 15, and an attachment 21 attached to the bucket 14. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, though a hydraulic excavator is shown, the machine could be any earthmoving machine capable of receiving attachment of a bucket assembly of the type described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the bucket assembly 14 is shown without the attachment 21. The bucket 15 of the bucket assembly 14 includes a plurality of panels 22, including a bottom panel 23 and two side panels 24. The bottom panel 23 extends between the two side panels 24 and includes a terminal region 25 having an edge 30. Each of the tooth projections 20 may include a tooth adapter 31 and a tooth tip 32 attached to the tooth adapter 31 by a retention mechanism 33. Alternatively, each of the tooth projections may be a unitary structure (not shown) attached to the edge 30. One of ordinary skill would understand that the tooth projections 20 may include one or more of a wide variety of contours, shapes, and retention systems without departing from the scope of the invention.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the attachment 21 on its own. The attachment 21 includes a plate 34 having first and second opposing major surfaces 16, 17 (FIG. 4), first and second major edges 18, 19, and first and second minor edges 26, 27. As shown in FIG. 6, the major edges 18, 19 of the plate 34 have a width “W1” approximately equal to a width “W2” of the edge 30 of the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15. The minor edges 26, 27 of the plate 34 have a length “L3” that, when the attachment 21 is attached to the bucket 15, extends at least from the edge 30 of the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15 to beyond the tooth tips 32 of the tooth projections 20. The plate 34 may further include a tapered or beveled region 37 at which a thickness “T” (FIG. 5) of the plate 34 is reduced to sharpen the second major edge 19 thereof. Sharpening the second major edge 19 may enhance the precision and efficiency of the attachment 21 as a grading tool.

The attachment 21 further includes first and second attachment adapters 35, 40 extending from the second opposing major surface 17 of the plate 34 in proximal relation to the first and second minor edges 26, 27 of the plate 34, respectively. Each of the attachment adapters 35, 40 includes first and second straps 28, 29 that cooperate to define a gap 36. The gap 36 is dimensioned to receive portions of the terminal region 25 and the edge 30 of the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15. Each of the straps 28, 29 of each of the adapters 35, 40 includes a surface 38 for engaging the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15 proximal to the edge 30 thereof. The dimensions of the straps 28, 29 may be varied to accommodate varying bucket sizes and worksite conditions. For instance, as shown in the illustrated embodiments of the attachment 21, the lengths “L1”, “L2” of the first and second straps 28, 29 may be approximately equal (as shown in FIG. 3) or the length “L1” of the first strap 28 may be greater than the length “L2” of the second strap 29 (as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). The former configuration is generally able to withstand greater loading stresses than the latter configuration, but requires more metal and, as a result, has a greater material cost. As further variations, the adapters 35, 40 could each include only one strap (i.e., either the first or second strap 28, 29 rather than both), or if the adapters 35, 40 do each include the first and second straps 28, 29, one of the straps 28, 29 could be formed by attaching a plate or similar structure to an adapter having only one strap. These variations and others not specifically described herein could be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention.

The attachment 21 still further includes an attachment mechanism such as first and second brackets 41, 42 for detachably attaching the attachment 21 to the bucket 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the first and second brackets 41, 42 are “L” brackets that extend from the first and second adapters 35, 40, respectively. More specifically, each of the brackets 41, 42 includes a first leg 45 and a second leg 50. The first leg 45 of each of the brackets 41, 42 is attached to the first strap 28 of one of the adapters 35, 40, while the second leg 50 of each of the brackets 41, 42 is oriented for detachable attachment to whichever of the side panels 24 of the bucket 15 is proximal to the adapter 35, 40 carrying the bracket 41, 42. The first and second brackets 41, 42 each define a port 43 for receiving a removable fastener such as a nut and bolt 44. The ports 43 are oriented such that, when the attachment 21 is being attached to the bucket 15, the ports 43 align with corresponding ports 51 defined by the side panels 24 of the bucket 15. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, many different types of removable fasteners could be used and multiple removable fasteners could be used relative to each of the side panels 24 of the bucket 15 without departing from the scope of the invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Before the attachment 21 is attached to the bucket 15, the earthmoving machine 10 may use the tooth projections 20 of the bucket assembly 14 to cut, loosen, or dig through compacted work material. After the compacted work material is suitably loosened, the attachment 21 may be attached to the bucket 15 without first having to remove the tooth projections 20 from the bucket 15. FIG. 6 illustrates the bucket assembly 14 with the attachment 21 attached as described herein. The attachment 21 is attached to the bucket 15 of the bucket assembly 14 by orienting each of the attachment adapters 35, 40 between a pair of adjacent tooth adapters 31 on the tooth projections 20 and urging the attachment adapters 35, 40 onto the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15 until associated proximal portions of the terminal region 25 and the edge 30 of the bottom panel 23 are fully and securely received in the gaps 36 defined by the attachment adapters 35, 40. The fasteners 44 may then be utilized to attach the attachment mechanisms—in the illustrated embodiments, the second legs 50 of the brackets 41, 42—to the side panels 24 of the bucket 15. When the attachment 21 is attached to the bucket 15, the second major surface 17 of the plate 34 engages the tooth projections 20 and the plate 34 extends away from the bucket assembly 14 in substantially transverse relation to the edge 30 of the bottom panel 23 of the bucket 15 further than the tooth tips 32 of the tooth projections 20, thereby preventing the tooth projections 20 from disrupting the loosened work material while the attachment 21 is in use.

After the attachment 21 is attached to the bucket 15, the earthmoving machine 10 may urge the plate 34 of the attachment 21, in particular the major surfaces 16, 17 and the second major edge 19 of the plate 34, through the loosened work material in order to level or more evenly distribute such material in a desired manner. When use of the attachment 21 is no longer desired, the attachment 21 may be detached from the bucket 15 by reversing the above attachment steps, after which the tooth projections 20 may once again be used as desired.

As shown in FIG. 7, the attachment 21 may alternatively be provided with more than two attachment adapters, for instance to support a larger size of the attachment 21 on a larger bucket. For instance, in the bucket assembly 14A shown in FIG. 7, in addition to the first and second attachment adapters 35, 40, the attachment 21 includes a third attachment adapter 52 for helping to stabilize the attachment 21 on the bucket 15 and to support and distribute loading stresses sustained by the attachment 21 during use. The third attachment adapter 52 is configured similarly to the first and second attachment adapters 35, 40.

Though the attachment 21 is herein described in connection with grading, the attachment 21—specifically the second major edge 19 of the plate 34 of the attachment 21—may be used as a cutting edge for cutting into work material and helping to urge cut work material into the bucket 15 of the bucket assembly 14.

Many alterations and variations of the above-disclosed embodiments of the invention could be practiced without departing from the scope of the invention, which is delineated only by the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An attachment for a bucket, the bucket comprising a plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels and having an edge, the attachment comprising: a plate having two major opposing surfaces; an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket; and an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.
 2. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises a strap, the strap having a surface configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 3. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises two straps that cooperate to define a gap configured to receive a portion of the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 4. The attachment of claim 1, wherein the adapter is a first adapter in a plurality of adapters extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the plurality of adapters further comprising a second adapter, the first and second adapters configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 5. The attachment of claim 4, wherein the plate further includes first and second major edges and first and second minor edges and the first and second adapters are oriented in proximal relation to the first and second minor edges of the plate, respectively.
 6. The attachment of claim 4, wherein the first and second adapters each comprise a strap, the strap having a surface configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to an edge thereof.
 7. The attachment of claim 4, wherein the first and second adapters each comprise two straps that cooperate to define a gap configured to receive a portion of the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 8. The attachment of claim 4, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a plurality of brackets, each bracket in the plurality of brackets defining a port configured to receive a fastener for detachably attaching the bracket to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.
 9. The attachment of claim 8, wherein the plurality of brackets includes first and second brackets extending from the first and second adapters, respectively.
 10. An attachment for a bucket, the bucket comprising a plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels and having an edge, the attachment comprising: a plate having two major opposing surfaces; an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket; and a bracket extending from at least one of the plate and the adapter and defining a port configured to receive a fastener for detachably attaching the bracket to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.
 11. The attachment of claim 10, wherein the bracket extends from the adapter.
 12. The attachment of claim 10, wherein the adapter is a first adapter in a plurality of adapters extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the plurality of adapters further comprising a second adapter, the first and second adapters configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 13. The attachment of claim 12, wherein the plate further includes first and second major edges and first and second minor edges and the first and second adapters are oriented in proximal relation to the first and second minor edges of the plate, respectively.
 14. A bucket assembly, comprising: a bucket having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels and having an edge; an attachment including a plate having two major opposing surfaces; an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket; and an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket.
 15. The bucket assembly of claim 14, wherein the adapter is a first adapter in a plurality of adapters extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the plurality of adapters further comprising a second adapter, the first and second adapters configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 16. The bucket assembly of claim 15, wherein the plate further includes first and second major edges and first and second minor edges and the first and second adapters are oriented in proximal relation to the first and second minor edges of the plate, respectively.
 17. The bucket assembly of claim 15, wherein the first and second adapters each comprise two straps that cooperate to define a gap configured to receive a portion of the bottom panel of the bucket proximal to the edge thereof.
 18. The bucket assembly of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of tooth projections attached to the bottom panel of the bucket, one of the major opposing surfaces of the plate engaging the plurality of tooth projections when the attachment is attached to the bucket.
 19. The bucket assembly of claim 18, wherein the adapter resides between two tooth projections in the plurality of tooth projections when the attachment is attached to the bucket.
 20. An earthmoving machine, comprising: a boom; a stick attached to the boom; a bucket assembly configured for attachment to the stick, the bucket assembly comprising: a bucket having a plurality of panels, the plurality of panels including a bottom panel and two side panels, the bottom panel extending between the two side panels; and an attachment including a plate having two major opposing surfaces; an adapter extending from at least one of the two major opposing surfaces of the plate, the adapter being configured to engage the bottom panel of the bucket; and an attachment mechanism cooperating with at least one of the plate and the adapter to detachably attach the attachment to at least one panel in the plurality of panels of the bucket. 